Edinburgh rabbit owners warned of disease

Pet rabbit owners in Edinburgh, Scotland, have been warned they are at risk of contracting a deadly virus during this warm, wet summer.

The weather has led to an increase in the fleas that spread myxomatosis. Veterinarians say there are more wild rabbits around the capital now, creating a reservoir of infection.

"Basically, the disease doesn't always kill wild rabbits now and they can carry it for some time," Dr. Donald Mctaggart told The Scotsman. "So when a flea bites it and gets the blood in it, then later bites a domestic pet -- which is defenseless against it -- the pet rabbit dies."

Mactaggart urged rabbit owners to get their pets vaccinated against the disease. He described the symptoms as horrible and said the disease often has a long incubation period, showing up weeks after a bite from a flea carrying the disease.

This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no
part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

E-mail the story

Edinburgh rabbit owners warned of disease

Note

Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose.
The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Medical Xpress in any form.

Your message

Newsletter sign up

Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox.
You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties.

Your Privacy

This site uses cookies to assist with navigation, analyse your use of our services, and provide content from third parties.
By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy
and Terms of Use.